Becoming Conscious: Shabbat Bo 5779

How do you explain consciousness? The inner sense that each of has of being alive, of making decisions, of directing our bodies, of remembering, of feeling, of knowing—where does all of this come from? Why does it ebb at times of sleep, and return when we awaken? It is horrifying to imagine being alive and yet permanently unconscious. Self-awareness is definitive of human experience, but what is it, where does it come from, and what does it mean? These are ancient questions, and are central to Jewish thought (see below). Yet until recently they were outside the realm of scientific inquiry since consciousness seems subjective and impervious to measurement. Neuroscientists, philosophers and psychologists have lately focused their attention on the nature of consciousness. We know quite a bit about how brains work, we can explain how inputs and outputs relate, we can even point to regions of the brain that are associated with different conscious states (such as fear and anger with the amygdala). But what about consciousness itself—what is it?

Philosopher David Chalmers discusses this subject in a TED talk, noting that consciousness may be our defining human quality, and yet we do not have appropriate ways to define it. He proposes some “crazy ideas,” such as that consciousness is a fundamental feature of existence, just like mass or energy. More controversially, he relates the idea of Giulio Tononi that consciousness may be a universal feature of all existence, including inanimate particles such as photons. The more complex the intellect, the more it can integrate information, the greater the consciousness. Tononi uses the letter Phi to symbolize this measure of consciousness. The radical concept is that while humans might have high levels of Phi, there is no aspect of the universe that is devoid of consciousness. Even inanimate objects may integrate information and thus be identified as conscious.

I can’t vouch for the neuroscience, but the idea that consciousness suffuses all existence is familiar to religion, certainly to Judaism. In Tikkunei HaZohar we encounter the memorable expression, leit atar panui minei, “no place is empty of [God].” A mystical reading of “Ashrei” [Psalm 145] from Maharam Shik understands the unbound grandeur of God (ולגדולתו אין חקר) as a reference to consciousness (ידיעה)—it suffuses the universe. God’s greatest gift is the sharing of consciousness. Think of experiences of understanding—moments when an idea took hold in our mind or where you helped another person, young or old, to grasp a concept—that is a moment of joy. At such moments we feel more alive, which is to say, more conscious, since our minds have connected to other minds, and perhaps to the universal mind that we identify with God.

This brings us to our Torah portion, Bo, which is very much concerned with consciousness, and consciousness raising. Chapters 12-13 of Exodus include the Torah’s first foray into the creation of a national consciousness. It begins with the marking of time (with the new moon), proceeds to the recording of narrative (of the Exodus), and then establishes rituals to define the significance of experience, to distill values that can be transmitted down the generations (the Pesah rite; first-born redemption; tefillin). These three stages allow the people of Israel to understand their experience and to share that understanding with others across time and space. God explains to Moses the purpose of these rituals—they are to create memory, to sear ideas into the mind by reenacting them with the body. In this way the great liberation from slavery will remain present even centuries and millennia later when the people of Israel have become free and mighty.

Why are we commanded to study Torah, and why are we required to observe the mitzvot? While some might say that these core Jewish practices are all about obedience, I can never accept that. That is the answer given to a wicked child who respects only power. The purpose of study and the purpose of sacred action are the same—to encourage the development of consciousness. Not self-consciousness, but broad consciousness, the connection of mind to mind, starting with our closest family and friends, but expanding ultimately to encompass all of existence. When we pause to say a blessing before eating, we instill consciousness. When we notice an unusual biblical phrase and search for commentaries, we expand consciousness. When we recall the experiences of prior generations, and convey their meaning to those who are just coming of age, we build a sea of consciousness. This process is mysterious, but it is not a figment of the imagination. The study of Torah and the practice of mitzvot are sublime exercises in becoming alive. They employ the body to transcend its limits, joining our brief existence to the life that is infinite. This is the meaning of our blessing over Torah—וחיי עולם נטע בתוכינו—eternal life is planted in our midst.

Rabbi Judah Lowe of Prague (Maharal) taught that the word for prayer (tefillah) and thus also tefillin is linked to consciousness. The purpose of prayer is to remember—to think—and to connect one’s life to the eternal life of God. When Jews pray, we must seek out others to form a minyan, a microcosm, so that consciousness can be expanded, and individual limits can be transcended. The first book of Torah and the beginning of the second related stories of individuals encountering God. We will continue to meet many important individuals, but going forward the Torah will be interested primarily in creating community. Parashat Bo marks an essential transition, not only to the liberation from physical enslavement, but also to the liberation from solitary consciousness. Mindfulness meditation is popular today, and can be an important tool, but not if it promotes solipsism and separates mind from mind. Jewish spirituality is designed to create deep connections. Our parashah represents the beginning of group mindfulness—leading to revelation and the emergence of a sacred society. This all begins with a thought and a deed—entering the ultimate Phi/Hai of integrated consciousness and from there to eternal life. Shabbat shalom.